1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to innovations and improvements in water-resistant or weatherized mineral and protein supplement feeds for animals. Such feeds are consumed by animals in pastures, on the range or in feedlots where they are to at least some extent, if not entirely, exposed to the weather.
2. Related Art
Weather-resistant mineral feeds for animals, often referred to as "weatherized minerals" have been available for a number of years. For many years, mineral feed products have been weatherized to reduce losses from wind and rain by application of petrolatum to the minerals and the inclusion of molasses to increase palatability. Ingredients in a typical mineral feed can be categorized in three groups: macrominerals, trace minerals (microminerals) and other functional materials. Macrominerals range in size from fine to coarse granules while trace minerals are usually fine granules or powders. Due to their small size, the major losses from rain leaching or wind erosion occur in the trace minerals.
In the prior procedures for producing weatherized mineral feeds, the first step in the process has been to mix the macro ingredients, micro ingredients, salt, and functional materials. Thereafter, petrolatum and molasses are added to the mixture followed by a period of mixing so as to uniformly distribute the molasses and petrolatum throughout the mix. Heretofore, iron oxide has been included in the formula in order to impart a red color to the final product.
While weatherized or water-resistant mineral feeds formulated and produced in accordance with the prior art have been consumed in large quantities over the years, the finer fraction of such feeds which includes primarily the trace minerals and water soluble components has been susceptible to appreciable rain leaching and wind erosion.
Protein supplementation of range cattle is necessary during periods when the forage available to the animals provides inadequate levels of protein to maintain body weight and performance. Winter is often the time of year when supplementation is most needed. Drought or other poor growing conditions can affect the nutritional composition of forages at other times of the year, leading to the need for protein supplementation.
Most free-choice protein supplements available on the market today are in the form of pressed blocks or tubs. In the pressed block process, dry ingredients are batched and mixed. Molasses and other liquid binders are added and the resultant mixture pressed under high pressure (approx 1500 to 2500 psi). Final moisture content of the product is generally 13% or lower. Standard size of pressed blocks is 33-1/3 lbs.
Most tub products use molasses as the starting material. For these products, two different processes are used to achieve a final solid product. In one process, the molasses is heated to remove water to achieve a moisture content of approximately 3%. Limited quantities of dry ingredients can be blended with the cooked molasses prior to cooling to provide additional minerals, vitamins, protein, or energy (U.S. Pat. No. 3,961,081).
In the other process, highly reactive materials are added to create a chemical reaction that hardens the product. Limited quantities of dry ingredients can be added to provide additional minerals, vitamins, protein, or energy. In this process, limited quantities of moisture are removed in the process (see e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,171,385; 4,234,608 and 4,265,916).
Another process has been developed by Harvest Fuel, Inc. for producing a tub based on condensed distillers solubles (CDS) instead of molasses. In this process, the CDS is mixed with the dry ingredients to form a mixture at approximately 24% moisture which is then pressed under low pressure to form the final product. Higher levels of dry ingredients can be added to enhance the protein, mineral, and vitamin composition of the product over the molasses-based products (U.S. Pat. No. 5,260,089).
Free-choice tub products are generally 200 to 250 lbs in size, with some as large as 500 lbs. Due to their size, they are more convenient to handle and feed than the smaller pressed blocks. The tub products are generally unaffected by weather, while the pressed blocks tend to fall apart if they get wet.
In some instances, a free-choice protein supplement is desired in meal form. To address this segment of the market, MoorMan's Inc. developed a high-protein supplement called Roughage Buster. Protein contents of 60, 80 and 100% are currently available with the high protein levels achieved through the inclusion of biuret, along with other protein sources.
In the production of Roughage Buster, the dry ingredients are added to the mixer, followed by the addition of molasses and petrolatum. The resultant mixture is a non-dusty product containing a wide range of particle sizes. Distribution of nutrients, particularly the trace minerals, is non-uniform leading to inconsistent mineral intake should segregation of the product occur during handling and feeding. It is also more subject to losses due to wind and water.